Letter from Ronald Reagan to his son
lettersofnote.com
Letter from Ronald Reagan to his son
1–10 of 65 posts
Re: Letter from Ronald Reagan to his son
#2Great, unconventional advice on marriage to his son. This is time-proof advice for any generation too.
Re: Letter from Ronald Reagan to his son
#3As an armchair history buff, I love famous historical people who were also prolific letter-writers. It gives a great insight into the person, especially when the letter was between family members or close friends and never intended for public consumption. (Reagan was one of these people) As much as I like Letters of Note for the great letters, for me having a stream of letters makes the person much more three-dimensional.
The book on the Adams-Jefferson letters has been on my reading list for a year now. Can't wait to get time to read it. http://amzn.to/MudjlA I believe there is a similar book for Reagan, but I haven't researched it. Enough stuff on the list already.
Re: Letter from Ronald Reagan to his son
#4How qualified was Reagan to give marriage advice? How many marriages did he have? Was he a marriage counsellor? Did he study marriages? Statistics on couple behaviors?
Or is this like listening to the Kardashian's opinion on... child rearing or something?
Re: Letter from Ronald Reagan to his son
#5How qualified was Reagan to give marriage advice? How many marriages did he have? Was he a marriage counsellor? Did he study marriages? Statistics on couple behaviors? Or is this like listening to the Kardashian's opinion on... child rearing or something?
Ronald Reagan was a wise man and great president.
Re: Letter from Ronald Reagan to his son
#6How qualified was Reagan to give marriage advice? How many marriages did he have? Was he a marriage counsellor? Did he study marriages? Statistics on couple behaviors? Or is this like listening to the Kardashian's opinion on... child rearing or something?
Ronald Reagan was a wise man and great president.
Great by whose measure? As far as I'm concerned he is an embarrassment (as a President).
I do think these letters are of historical interest though, glad to see them available.
Re: Letter from Ronald Reagan to his son
#7How qualified was Reagan to give marriage advice? How many marriages did he have? Was he a marriage counsellor? Did he study marriages? Statistics on couple behaviors? Or is this like listening to the Kardashian's opinion on... child rearing or something?
Reagan was married to Jane Wyman (1940–1949) and to Nancy Davis (1952–2004).
That letter was sent in 1971, well into his marriage with Nancy Davis, which would last for another 33 years, until his death.
Interpret this however you want :)
Re: Letter from Ronald Reagan to his son
#8How qualified was Reagan to give marriage advice? How many marriages did he have? Was he a marriage counsellor? Did he study marriages? Statistics on couple behaviors? Or is this like listening to the Kardashian's opinion on... child rearing or something?
How many marriages did he have? 2. First one 8 years and the last one was with Nancy for more than 40 years. But who are we to cast stones at him especially when he is advising his son privately. I mean, it's not like he is trying to advise the whole nation on marriage.
Here is something I pulled out of Wikipedia regarding his relationship with Nancy Reagan. Might give some perspective on his letter to his son.
"During his presidency they were reported to frequently display their affection for one another; one press secretary said, "They never took each other for granted. They never stopped courting." He often called her "Mommy" she called him "Ronnie". He once wrote to her, "Whatever I treasure and enjoy ... all would be without meaning if I didn't have you." When he was in the hospital in 1981, she slept with one of his shirts to be comforted by his scent. In a letter to U.S. citizens written in 1994, Reagan wrote "I have recently been told that I am one of the millions of Americans who will be afflicted with Alzheimer's disease.... I only wish there was some way I could spare Nancy from this painful experience," and in 1998, while Reagan was stricken by Alzheimer's, Nancy told Vanity Fair, "Our relationship is very special. We were very much in love and still are. When I say my life began with Ronnie, well, it's true. It did. I can't imagine life without him."
Re: Letter from Ronald Reagan to his son
#9Earlier quoted context omitted.
Ronald Reagan was a wise man and great president.
Great by whose measure? As far as I'm concerned he is an embarrassment (as a President). I do think these letters are of historical interest though, glad to see them available.
You cannot level such a stark criticism against a man who dared to be great - when you do so you embarrass only yourself.
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
Re: Letter from Ronald Reagan to his son
#10How qualified was Reagan to give marriage advice? How many marriages did he have? Was he a marriage counsellor? Did he study marriages? Statistics on couple behaviors? Or is this like listening to the Kardashian's opinion on... child rearing or something?
Read the letter, specifically this bit:
Mike, you know better than many what an unhappy home is and what it can do to others.
Seems to me he's saying "I've made mistakes and learned from them".